26 Mar, 2019 When legalization of recreational marijuana started happening in the United States in recent years, many people knew there would soon be edibles (foods infused with cannabis) hitting the market. The appeal of cannabis edibles is that the user doesn’t have to smoke the plant in order to get a high. Consumers have definitely shown demand for THC edibles (which cause the intoxicating “high” that marijuana is known for), but there is also now a huge market for edibles with only CBD oil (a different ingredient derived from cannabis) and no high.
With the recent legalization of recreational marijuana in states across America, wellness and natural food and beverage brands have embraced this CBD trend. But while many consumers want the reported health benefits of marijuana use, not everyone wants the feeling of being high. For these consumers CBD (cannabidiol) oil may be an alternative. CBD oil is a derivative in cannabis that doesn’t give the user the famous high that THC gives. But the health benefits of CBD have been reported seemingly everywhere.
While some of the science can be debated, CBD oil has been credited with helping with increasing appetite, while reducing anxiety, depression, and insomnia. It can come in vials of the oil that can be taken by the drop or for the more adventurous consumer, there are food products with CBD oil in it. Products like Snaac Protein Bars and Floyd’s of Leadville CBD Isolate Recovery Protein are targeted towards athletes that are looking to use CBD as a way to lessen the pain of recovery due to training.
Food marketers and manufacturers might want to look at an athletic or a wellness angle if they are looking to get into this CBD edibles space. Since CBD doesn’t contain any THC (the derivative that gives the user a high), these products can even be marketed for on-the-go snacking. Products like energy bars and cookies are great examples of applications where CBD works well.
Weller is an example of a brand with CBD-infused snacks that specifically targets women as their intended customer demographic. The website even focuses on wellness principles like mindfulness in articles written for the brand. This approach can be great for consumers who aren’t totally informed about CBD and its benefits or are concerned about trying marijuana in any capacity for the first time. Their coconut bites are packaged in resealable bags for on-the-go consumers and are bite-sized crisps similar to mini rice cakes.
Companies who are able to strike this approachable tone while still being informative about CBD are taking a leading role in new product development and marketing in this category, but since this is a new space there is no limit for the innovations that can happen. The only problem might be a limited amount of places to sell your products. CBD use isn’t legal in every state or area of the US at the moment – regulatory compliance is still an issue for introducing CBD edibles. However, the trend seems to be gaining momentum as more states and municipalities are legalizing marijuana for medicinal or even full recreational use. Non-intoxicating CBD ingredients are likely to see continued demand for legal, mainstream consumer products.
